Thanks to Carla and Mdm Samm for hosting this bloghop! We were challenged to use a particular range of fabric,
which you can see here, and make whatever we chose with it. I got hold of one of the panel pieces and a half metre of the print you can see below with it.
Choosing what to make caused me a real problem! The fabrics were not speaking to me at all and I was quite put off by the large size of the panel units - I'm much more used to EPP shapes rather than big panels. After weeks of thought and much mulling over my
Pinterest Boards I decided to see how a modern spool looked (
tutorial link here).
I was on to something! Much cursing and digging through scraps later and I came up with this rather wonky cushion cover. The spool on the far left uses scraps from the Nancy Drew hop last year!
My spools were each a tad too big but the business of the prints hides it unless you look very closely. Maybe!
I chose the ladies with dark hair (like me) and one with a knitting quote, since that is my first love! It looks rather nice on the sofa and is very comfy.
Before the giveaway, those of you who follow this blog know that I temporarily moved to Tokyo for my husband's job last year and am now exploring the delights of Japanese crafts (I know - I am one seriously lucky woman!). I got to go to the Tokyo Quilt Fair last week and the
photos are available for anyone to look at on Flickr in case you are interested in what is going on with Japanese quilts. I am really falling for the traditional colourways that I haven't seen elsewhere.
For the giveaway I have all the other ladies in the panel to give away! They just did not speak to me so I cannot imagine myself using them in the future - but I'd love it if you did. Just tell me what you'd do with them in a comment. I will post internationally and the giveaway is open until midnight JST on Sunday 9th.
Now please go and visit the other people in today's hop and
go here to see the full schedule of this and the doorstop hop. Thanks for visiting!
71 comments:
Japan, wow! I am so envious. I have got a small stash of Japanese fabric which I plan to sew this summer. These panel figures are crying out to be show cased on bags, thread catchers and machine covers. I like your pillow cover. crystalbluern at onlineok dot com
Hello, Hello!! Good job with your project :) ... please do not enter me into the giveaway, but I did want to tell you that you came up with a very creative solution!! Remember, I am the one giving away my She Who Sews project on my blog (wink).... best wishes and happy Tokyo exploring!!
Love how you used the large panel prints for a pillow.
I am thinking sewing machine cover if I am lucky enough to win! Thank you for sharing.
Alex! I love your spools. esp the nancy drew books! I would make something for my one day sewing room! Have fun! And thanks for sharing.xo jan
Alex! I love your spools. esp the nancy drew books! I would make something for my one day sewing room! Have fun! And thanks for sharing.xo jan
I really enjoy reading about Japan through your eyes and I did go to your flicker page and looked at those pictures of the quilt fair when you went.
I understand your trouble with the panels. They kinda through me for a loop, too. Your pillow looks very comfy and love the spools.
Thanks for hopping. I've learned so much on your blog.
Love your pillow! I would use the panel ladies for a bag if I win.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Your pillow turned of great, love the spools.
Ficou lindo a sua almofada.
I think you came up with a perfect idea. The cushion turned out so cute. Those big panels are a bit hard to sew sometimes. Cushions and wall hangings seem best for them.
Your pillow is awesome and a very good job with the fabric that didn´t speak to you.
I however love the fabric and I would make a sewing machine cover if I am lucky to win.
I wish I were not afraid of flying because I would love to attend that show at least once. Lucky you.
Don't feel bad...the fabric did not speak to me either... please do not enter me in the giveaway.
Your pillow is nice though.
You did a great job with your pillow! The spools were a clever idea.
Good idea using the spools in the pillow. If I won I would stitch a tote for selass.
Your pillow looks fantastic! I love the spools. I think I would make a bag with the remaining panel. Thanks for sharing your Tokyo adventures with us!
Your pillow looks fantastic! I love the spools. I think I would make a bag with the remaining panel. Thanks for sharing your Tokyo adventures with us!
I would love to win the panel! I would use it to make a sewing machine mat or a waste basket cover - like I saw on someone else's blog. I love the pictures on the panel!
Your paper pieced spools are the perfect complement to the ladies. I found it difficult to imagine what I would do with this line of fabric, too. I have gotten lots of great ideas from this hop but, I really like the way your spools "ground" the wild scribbly-ness of the large panels.
I think the pillow is great! I would have had no idea what to do with those panels! Lucky you on exploring new cultures and new crafts! :)
I really like your spools..I think you did a great job on your piece. if I am lucky enough to win; I want to make a sewing machine cover with them...thank you!!
Love your pillow! The spools are so fun. If I won the panels, I would make a new tote bag for sewing supplies - large enough for my small cutting mat with lots of pockets for small rulers and rotary cutter, etc. Thanks for the giveaway.
Your pillow is lovely and the spools are a perfect addition. I love them even if you're not crazy about them. I have sooo many project to use your extra panels on. I can't list just one!
Your spools turned out great and look lovely with those panels. I love the pillow! Looks like you're enjoying Japan and all it's beautiful fabrics. Wonderful giveaway, but I already have the panel, so share it with someone who would love to have it. :O)
Hey Alex, very nice cushion and as I can see, the EPP projects, small or big, are always with you, like me :-)
And all these wonderful japanese fabrics, that would be a financial desaster for me... LOL!
I like the cushion, I still have fabrics left from the hop, so let's sew some cushions as well!
Greetings from Switzerland
Judy (Rundu in Flickr....)
Your pillow is very cute, you came up with a great solution for the fabric. I looked at your photos from the quilt show.....what a wonderful experience it must be to live in another culture. Those quilts were nothing short of amazing !
Your pillow looks fantastic. I really love the spools with the ladies--great use of the panel.Great job and thank you for sharing. (Thanks for the giveaway. If I were lucky enough to win, I would love to use the rest of the ladies to make a sewing machine cover. I have seen some very beautiful ones in the hop.
Lucky girl! Living in Japan. My husband was there when he was in the Navy but I have not been there. Your project is sew cute. Thanks for the great giveaway.
I can see how with a busy fabric it would be difficult to come up with a project but especially after being in calming Japan! What a treat to be seeing all those lovely fabrics there. I hope you plan to write about it...hint, hint. If I won, I would make pincushions. I might even make a tammy bag... sewingblogsarefun@yahoo.com
Hello There - I like your wonky pillow. Glad you took the challenge with our She Who Sews collection. J. Wecker Frisch
Hellllllo, your pillow with spools a total delight…how can you not want to curl up with such inspiration…yours of course….
Your pillow turned out so pretty! I like the busy look.
I would make small pillows for my new sewing room!
Love your spools, great project!
The spools were a great idea. If I won your extra fabric I'd make a sewing machine cover!!
Love the spools of thread with the panels! Best wishes on a happy stay in Japan. svonfumetti at yahoo dot com
Your pillow is adorable. Your use of the panel turned out beautifully.
Your pillow turned out great. I would love to make a sewing machine cover if I was to win. Thanks for being part of the hop.
Your cushion is just delightful. What a lucky girl living in Japan. They do have fabulous quilts and quilters there!
Your pillow is sweet. It looks so vomfy. Both prefects are perfect. Tokyo.. Oh luck you. Enjoy and take in all you can. Life is an adventure you don't want yo miss.
You don't have to enter me in your drawing since I'm right there with you on not knowing what I'd do with them, I just wanted to say how much fun I think your pillow is! And I'm glad you're getting to see the Japanese crafts, I wish I could join you for a day! Thank you for sharing!
~Brandy
Very nice! I love the way you used up scraps to make the spools. The Heart lady is my favorite from the panel. I am off to look at the quilts show pictures. Thanks for sharing ... :) Pat
What a clever Idea - using spools. I love the way they work with the fabric. This would be a great pillow in a sewing room chair. :) Don't enter me in the giveaway since I have some of the fabric and I'm sure there are others who don't. blessings, marlene
I'd love to make a cover for my sewing machine!
Thanks for sharing your projects!
i would make a cover for my grand daughter's black sewing machine - she is very much the 'steampunk' gal! ... and maybe a cover for my little Featherweight is there is any left!
congrats on spending time in Japan! my dh was stationed there for 8 yrs with USAF - he loved it there.
Your "She Who Sews" cushion is lovely. Thank you for sharing the Japanese Quilt photos. What an adventure you are on. I personally love this fabric line and will be making my sewing machines some covers they need. Thank you sew very much for Hopping...
Love your pillow!
I would love your "other" ladies, I need a new sewing machine cover and I am enjoying looking at everyone else's.
What a great pillow…love the spools! Thanks for sharing and for the sweet giveaway…my 'naked' serger would love for me to make a cover for it with that cute fabric :)
Well, that pillow is lovely! You did a really nice job!!!
Great project!! I like the spools :) The lovely ladies don't really speak to me either... So don't bother entering me in the giveaway... I'm sure someone will enjoy winning it!!
I really like the addition of the piece spools. They are sew cool. Nice
Japan what a great opportunity and they have some lovely fabrics. I am going to make a couple of machine covers with my fabric.
Delightful pillow! I really like how you used the fabric and prints and some from your stash too!
Have fun in Japan! We visited Okinawa in 2010 and LOVED it!
Lovely cushion. Love those spools - clever idea!
I would love to make a panel for the inset part of my sewing room door so when the door is closed it's visible from the hallway. Cuz I have a messy sewing room and the door is often closed! And you did a great job on your cushion. Be proud.
For someone who wasn't sure what to create, your project is delightful! Those spools make it special and unique! If I won your unused panels, I am thinking that I would make a sewing machine cover and matching cushion cover for my sewing space. Thanks for the chance!!
Love your pillow, especially the addition of the Nancy Drew scraps.
I think that your cushion worked out reallt well. Lucky you being in Japan ,
Cheers
maggie
maggiemine42@gmail.com
Your pillow is great! I would love to make something with the panel for my sewing room.
I love the cushion that you designed. And I love the fabric. I would probably start by making a tote, and then probably a sewing machine cover. Thanks for the chance to win. aschaefer24 at yahoo dot com
Your wonky cushion cover just makes me smile! What a delightful thing to have in your sewing room (while you sew with that luscious Japanese fabric!) I'm so happy for you. I hope you enjoy every minute in Japan. Regarding the other delightful fabric, I love these ladies! I'd make a sewing-kit pouch for each of my daughters and a sewing machine cover for myself. Thanks so much for sharing!
Your pillow is very cool and I love the addition of the spools. Lucky you to live in Japan a wonderful experience.
I'd love to make a sewing machine cover with this great fabric! I love your pillow!
I really like your pillow cover! Nice to have on the couch. I envy your Japan experience--enjoy! I would use some of the panels on a cover for my serger. Thanks for sharing!
Love these spools! very clever indeed. And gratz on top 2! I would love an extra lady to make a sewing machine cover. I used all mine in my wall hanging and have seen some great sewing machine covers with ladies on them this hop.
Nice pillow! I would make a wall hanging or a bag with them. Thanks for the giveaway! vickise at gmail dot com
Gee, there are so many things that could be made... I think I would probably make a pillow, and a couple of sewing machine covers plus a serger cover... Thanks for the giveaway! Love your pillow!!
Dawn
array-dawn at cox dot net
I like the design you came up with for the pillow. Great job! I really enjoyed looking at your photos from the quilt show. I would make a bag with the quilt panel. Thanks for the giveaway.
Oh, I would, I would. Even though I think of myself as traditional I'm learning (AND I'm close to 70!) I like lots of the new, modern things. I love this fabric! Your pillow is fabulous and I think the spool blocks you added inbetween were perfect. Yes, you are lucky to have the opporunity to see the Japanese quilting community. I've seen some fabulous quilts made by quilters from Japan - the details and the designs were amazing!
Very creative use of the fabrics…I would love to win the panel, as i would make a quilt to cuddle up with for my sewing room, that I share with my husband. We have a couch that we sit on in the room that would look lovely graced with a quilt made from that panel!
You pillow is beautiful, love how you did the spools.
Hi, Lixie, I love the spools - such a clever solution for having fabric "not" speak to you!
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